As far as I know, toast is not the next big thing — at least not yet. Nevertheless, don’t be surprised if Toastbucks shops, just like Starbucks shops and other such franchises, start showing up around the country before many more years.

The reason I bring this up is that I have contracted a temporary (I hope) jaw disorder, and as a result, about all I can get into my mouth and swallow is toast bites. They can’t be big bites, mind you, such as a farmer might take when wolfing down a three-egg-and-toast breakfast before venturing into the fields for a day of hard labor. The farmer probably would have all those eggs and all that toast burned off before lunch.

Under the best of circumstances, I couldn’t eat such a breakfast, especially not every day. It would cause me to gain weight, because my work consists mainly of moving my fingers over a computer keyboard and trying to act like I am awake. Those activities only burn about 30 calories an hour. I probably would put on pounds if I had only a kumquat for breakfast every morning. But I couldn’t even eat that, because I can’t open wide enough right now to bite a kumquat. I can eat raisins one at a time, and that’s about it.

And also toast. I can get a little butter and jam on it, but put on much more and it’s too thick to get in my mouth. As a result, I’m gaining a real appreciation for toast.

Which has reminded me of an interview I read with a fellow in Oregon who made a lot of money by founding a small chain of coffee companies there. He was asked what he saw as the next big thing in the food business. His reply was: “Toast. I believe there is quite a future in toast.”

The fellow obviously had me and my present needs in mind.

However, I have yet to see the first Toastbucks. Perhaps its time has not come. But I wish it would hurry.